Content about Channel Insights - Newsletter

LAS VEGAS — Mattel Brands and Fisher-Price is looking to remain a key player in the global market. To that end, the company is restructuring its licensing approach and prioritizing its portfolio of brands to create partnerships that foster global growth. 

The Mattel Brands consumer products group has identified global business category leaders and a global creative team to further support growth, ensure product quality and create a meaningful differentiation for partners and consumers.

Hasbro will be developing toys and physical games based on the globally popular Angry Birds brand as part of its expanded licensing agreement with Rovio Entertainment. 

Hasbro will develop the upcoming game Angry Birds Go!, scheduled to release this year, and will continue to develop and expand the collaboration with Angry Birds Star Wars from Rovio Entertainment and LucasFilm.

Plans to acquire at least 60 stores from bankrupt Orchard Supply Hardware give Lowe’s an increased presence in California and a new small format with expansion potential.

Lowe’s said early Monday that it had entered into an asset purchase agreement with Orchard, which had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, to acquire the majority of Orchard’s assets for approximately $205 million in cash and assume payables owed to nearly all of Orchard’s supplier partners.

CORTE MADERA, Calif. — Restoration Hardware Holdings has appointed former Williams-Sonoma brand president Richard Harvey as the company's CMO for RH Kitchen and Tableware.

Harvey spent 30 years at Williams-Sonoma, Inc., most recently as president of the Williams-Sonoma brand. In his new role, Harvey will develop a curated collection of kitchen furniture, appliances, lighting, cookware, tools and food.

Food Lion store manager Charles Inman got a big surprise on Monday when some folks from the Brussels-based home office of parent company Delhaize Group showed up at his store.
 
Inman was selected from more than 3,400 Delhaize Group store managers to receive the company’s Store Manager of the Year award and company officials decided to surprise Inman with a ceremony at his store in Clayton, N.C.

FORT WORTH, Texas — Global workwear brand Dickies has teamed up with country music group Eli Young Band. They are offering fans an opportunity to meet the band on the No Shoes Nation Tour with Kenny Chesney.

FREMONT — Net sales at Men's Wearhouse's flagship brand stores got off to a slow start, but clothing and tuxedo revenues picked up, allowing the company to see total net sales of $617 million for the first quarter ended May 4, an increase of 5% from $587 million for the quarter last year.  

Lululemon's chairman, Dennis "Chip" Wilson, sold stock worth $50 million just days before shares slumped following CEO Christine Day's resignation, according to a Reuters report.

Reuters goes on to cite a Wall Street Journal report — which in turn cites InsiderScore.com, a site which tracks insider trading and institutional ownership — that Wilson set up plans to sell stock back in December. Wilson founded the company in 1998 and remains its largest voting shareholder.

The Sobey’s chain of food stores, whose parent company counts former Walmart Canada head Dave Ferguson among its board members, has added new square footage to its retail portfolio with the acquisitions of Safeway’s Canadian stores.

The $5.8 billion deal, announced late Wednesday will added Safeway’s 223 stores and 12 manufacturing facilities to Sobey’s existing operation which includes about 1,500 stores under banners such as Sobeys, IGA extra, Thrifty Foods, IGA, Foodland and FreshCo.

A 4.2% first quarter same store sales increase at teen retailer Five Below and better than expected results prompted the operator of 258 stores to increase its full year guidance.
 
Sales for the quarter ended May 4 increase 33.1% to $95.6 million and operating income swung to $3.2 million from a prior year loss of $2 million. Net income was $1.6 million compared to a net loss of $1.2 million the prior year.

The Canadian retail landscape shifted again late Wednesday when Safeway announced the sale of its operations there to Sobeys Inc. for $5.8 billion.

The all cash deal will result in net proceeds to Safeway of about $2 billion which will be used to pay down debt. Sobey’s is a Canadian food retailer and a wholly owned subsidiary of Empire Company Limited. It is acquiring Safeway’s 223 store operation and 12 manufacturing facilities that last year generated sales of $6.7 billion in Canadian dollars and a $428 million operating profit.